Plantation Wood clean up day off Parkway Gaywood, by Woodland Trust, Nicola 'Marry-Woods (3rd right) from the Woodland Trust with some of the volunteers on the day ANL-140715-130852009

Community groups, volunteers and business leaders have been joining forces around West Norfolk to make sure their areas look their best for the summer.

The Friends of Plantation Wood had the long school holidays in mind as they and their helpers cleaned up the Gaywood site on Tuesday.

Plantation Wood clean up day off Parkway Gaywood, by Woodland Trust, Volunteer from St Faiths Church Gaywood, Daphne Sampson ANL-140715-130904009

Nicola Marray-Woods, community contractor for the Woodland Trust, which maintains the area, said she was pleased that 10 volunteers had joined the group on the day, including four first time helpers.

She said: “Everyone was saying it’s a good excuse to spend some time in the woods and do some good at the same time.”

The wood is a popular area with children and families and Mrs Marray-Woods said they were keen to make sure the site was at its best for the forthcoming break, which includes a special event in the wood on August 6 to mark National Play Day.

She said: “We had a good clean-up of the obvious rubbish. It wasn’t as bad as it has been in the past. It’s really improved in the last two three years.”

McDonalds staff and workers from West Norfolk Borough Council. Who are clearing up around Kettlewell Lane Kings Lynn in preperation for Anglia in Bloom judging. ANL-140714-134837009

Elsewhere, however, much of the work around the borough has been focused towards the annual visits by Anglia In Bloom judges to our towns and villages.

Borough council officials helped to unveil a series of new planters near Lynn’s Argos store, as judges scrutinised the town’s displays on Wednesday.

And staff from the town’s McDonald’s restaurants have also been doing their bit by leading a clean-up project alongside In Bloom volunteers.

The firm got involved as part of its Love Where You Live campaign and Rebekka Cawley, Operations Supervisor for CM Restaurants Ltd, said: “We take great pride in King’s Lynn’s local environment and we are delighted to help the town In Bloom committee clean up the areas ready for judging.”

Having won a gold award in each of the last two years, Lynn’s team have been striving to complete the hat-trick this year.

And Elizabeth Nockolds, West Norfolk Council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and marketing, said: “In Bloom is a real opportunity to showcase our beautiful town.

“We’ve been working throughout the year on a range of projects to help make the most of our public spaces and are very grateful to staff from McDonald’s for helping us to create the right impression on judging day.”

Meanwhile, in South Wootton, villagers have been showing off a number of new attractions to impress the judges, including a wild flower meadow containing poppies to remember the fallen of the First World War.

Local school children have also planted vegetables and potatoes, while a host of flower beds, tubs and baskets, many of which have been sponsored by local businesses, have also been planted.